If you have a central air conditioning unit that sits outside your home, then you probably know that you need to allow air to move through the appliance. Air is pulled from the outside environment and cooled so that your home temperature can be controlled, and air is also used to cool the compressor so that the air conditioner does not overheat. Air flow is drastically reduced when dirt and debris clog the grates and filters, so follow the tips below to prevent a malfunction that can cost you hundreds of dollars in air conditioning repair costs.

Keep Grass Clippings Out of the Unit

If you have a spacious lawn, then you probably use your mower to cut your grass at least once a week. If your air conditioner sits on the edge of your lawn, then grass clippings can easily blow right into your air conditioner. You can prevent this from happening by making sure that the lawnmower deflects grass and shoots it away from your air conditioner when you mow your lawn.

You also should consider placing a curved mulching blade on your lawnmower. This type of blade has more cutting surfaces than a normal cutting blade. This helps to cut the grass into many small pieces. The pieces then fall down to the base of the ground so they do not fly up into the air. However, even with a mulching blade, some grass may collect on your air conditioner if your lawn is dry or if it is windy outside. Make sure to rinse your air conditioner with a hose once you finish your yard work to remove the grass clippings that collect on the unit.

Water Your Lawn and Driveway

Dirt can also fly through the air and collect both on and in your air conditioner. This occurs when your lawn becomes dry during a drought or a dry period of the summer. You can keep dirt grounded and out of the air conditioner by watering your lawn until rain falls normally again. Not only will the water wet the dirt, but it will help the grass grow to create a barrier between the dry earth and the air.

Set a sprinkler or a hose in your lawn to water it and make sure to start watering in the morning. This way, the earth has time to absorb the water before the sun evaporates the moisture. Make sure that water penetrates the top six inches of earth. You can use a stick, metal rod, or other device to find out how far the water absorbs. Water every two or three days to keep your lawn moist.

Keeping Your Driveway Moist

If you have a gravel or dirt driveway, then it is wise to keep these areas moist as well, so that the wind does not pick up dirt particles. Use your hose to wet your driveway several times a day. Do not water for longer than 10 or 15 minutes at a time or you will create a muddy space. Also, when you wet a gravel driveway, allow the water to rinse dirt and debris downward to the base of the stones. Do not drive over the rocks and compress them after watering. Otherwise, dirt will remain between the layers of rocks and blow away when the water evaporates.

If you have an air conditioner outside your house that helps to cool your home, then you need to make sure that the unit stays as clean as possible. The tips in this article can assist you in reducing the amount of debris that ends up in your air conditioner so that air conditioner repairs are minimized.